Co-ordinate a Focus Group

The Karmayog online community, in Feb. 2007, has over 7000 members. Over the last three years, we have together gone through close to 20,000 emails, with an average of around 25 a day. We have been able to cope thus far with the staggering load, buoyed by the enthusiasm, encouragement, interest, and silent and vocal support of members of the Karmayog community.

Based on the types of emails, requests, information, feedback, etc that we have been receiving, we have developed over 75 resource sections on the Karmayog website, that cover a wide variety of topics, including several with a special focus on Mumbai.

With this considerably large database in place, as well as the large number of members of the Karmayog community, the next step we would like to take is to consolidate and build on this online network and database, by forming smaller working groups of those members who are specifically interested in getting involved further in their areas of interest.

Some features of the focus group:

• It is a sub-group of the larger Karmayog community with a special focus on a particular area of interest
• A focus group will be formed ONLY if someone volunteers to take initial charge of co-ordinating such a group
• Those interested can freely join as members of such a focus group
• Most of the interaction (emails, meetings, etc) may thereafter be within the members of the group only
• The wider group may be invited to attend certain meetings or respond to certain discussion topics as needed from time to time
• Each focus group will develop and manage an online resource section on Karmayog, where available information is shared with all
• Depending on the activities planned by the working group, membership fees and funding for the group's activities could be considered
  

Benefits of forming working groups:

• The effiectiveness of such a tightly focused, and loosely coordinated group is increased as it deals with a special interest focus only, and not with issues of a general interest
• Members of a working group can provide and benefit from each other's solutions to the problems within that sector
• Such a structure connects people who share similar concerns and interests, bringing them together virtually and face-to-face towards the common objective of problem-solving
• Members benefit from the experience and advice of other group members, through the collective thinking and analysis that is encouraged for issues taken up by the group
• The focus group acts as a support system for the sector and anyone wanting to deal with issues pertaining to the sector
• Meetings with government and other officials can be more productive
  

Next Steps:

• Please email if you are interested in co-ordinating a group, and we will meet and take it forward
• Co-ordinators need not be involved with any particular NGO
• Students, educated people not working full-time, MBA types in corporates, etc. would be apt
• You need to be based in Mumbai
• Group strengths are likely to range from 25 to 50 people
• Expertise in and experience of a particular sector is not necessary as specific perspectives are limiting and non-holistic
• Interest, willingness and commitment are important characteristics
• Time to email, talk to, & visit people (concerned citizens, volunteers, NGOs, government officials) is necessary
• Basically, we sort of now know what is needed to be done
• Mutual rapport would be an essential element